Now Re-Opened: Gurney’s in Montauk

“A reinvention by the sea,” is how The New York Times recently summed up Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa in the Hamptons. The iconic Montauk resort reopened over Memorial Day weekend after a multi-million-dollar revamp. Among the shiny new highlights at the four-season resort are an additional 38 sleek rooms, decked out in a contemporary beach vibe — wood floors, snow-white linens, floor-to-ceiling windows and private verandas.

Gurney’s in Montauk (Photo: Agency Red)

The dining and drinking also received an upgrade, under the stewardship of Jennifer Oz LeRoy, daughter of the late New York restaurateur Warner LeRoy, who made his name with Tavern on the Green, Russian Tea Room and others. Chef Seth Levine (Hotel Chantelle, Penthouse 808) shines at the Seawater Grill, serving a menu that’s one part molecular gastronomy and three parts fresh seafood. Highlights include diver scallops with cauliflower puree, tuna tartare tacos sprinkled with soy sauce pearls and black-and-white flatbread, topped with whipped ricotta, Gruyere and black truffles.

Gurney’s also expanded its outdoor offerings, with the casual Ocean Café that has a sun-speckled outdoor patio, and the Beach Club, an on-beach restaurant where you can sip frosty cocktails while you warm your toes in the sand. And then there’s the Seawater Spa, which offers just what the name implies: a pool that’s filled with sand-filtered seawater drawn directly off the Montauk coast, as well as a Finnish rock sauna and steam room. Even the fitness center has views, looking out at the pounding ocean. In fact, the gym may be one of the most popular corners of the hotel — after all, there’s nothing more competitive than bikini season in the Hamptons.